Vietnamese Runner Aims for New World Record: 100km Daily for 102 Consecutive Days

Nguyen Van Long, a 41-year-old runner from Gia Lai Province in Vietnam's Central Highlands, is set to embark on an unprecedented world record attempt. His ambitious plan involves running 100km every day for 102 consecutive days, from December 10, 2026, to March 21, 2027. This endeavor aims to surpass the current world record of 100km daily for 100 consecutive days, achieved by Chinese runner Huang Zhenglong from December 6, 2025, to March 15, 2026. Long expressed his confidence in the challenge in a recent interview with VnExpress, stating, "If I didn't believe I could do it, I wouldn't have planned and executed this challenge." The run will take place on a 2.4km loop within the Hoi Phu Riverside Urban Area in Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province. Born in 1985, Long sees this challenge as a practical way to respond to the "All People Exercise Following the Great Uncle Ho's Example" movement and to promote the "Be Healthy to Build a Career and Defend the Nation" campaign. Furthermore, Long intends to transform this challenge into a community event, allowing people worldwide to participate by running online or offline from their respective locations. An offline event is also planned at Hoi Phu Riverside on March 21, 2027. "I want to inspire those who have run, and even those who have never run before, to understand that endurance often begins with the simple decision to put on shoes and go for a light jog each day," the Gia Lai-based runner shared. Long is considered a late bloomer in the running community. He joined the Gia Lai provincial athletics training team in 2005, past the typical age for entry, and conquered the 42km marathon distance in just three months. His dedication earned him special admission to the provincial team at 21. In 2007, he represented Vietnam in a 42km race in Kenya, achieving the best result among all Southeast Asian athletes. His career peaked between 2009 and 2012, when he won the 42km distance at the National Athletics Championship in 2009 and 2011, and the 21km distance at the Tien Phong Newspaper race for three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012. He later transitioned to mass participation events and became a familiar face at annual domestic running competitions. Long is known in the running community by the nickname "Dị nhân" (Phenomenon) due to his bold decisions, including running across Vietnam under various circumstances. He has undertaken such cross-country runs in 2022, and has scheduled them for 2024 and 2025. "Human strength has limits, but the will is infinite. I always want to set challenges for myself to conquer, and I am confident that I will succeed," the 40-year-old runner previously stated before his third cross-Vietnam run in 2025.